Bob Collinsif you are in Minnesota and have any contacts, family or friends in Mumbai or insights you’d like to share about Mumbai, please contact me.
Gunmen today have been carrying out a series of attacks in Mumbai, India, targeting British and U.S. nationals and they may be holding hostages. The motive for the attacks was not immediately clear, but the city has frequently been targeted in terror attacks blamed on Muslim militants, the Associated Press reports. The Times of India says an unknown group — Deccan Mujahideen — is responsible.
Teams of gunmen stormed two of the city’s best known luxury hotels and a landmark restaurant. A British restaurant-goer at one of the hotels told Sky News television that the attackers were singling out Britons and Americans.
Here is a Flickr feed of images from there. (link updated)
NDTV.com is providing excellent coverage (the image above is of one gunman, as grabbed off a video feed by NDTV) and reports at least 90 are dead. You can watch live coverage here although it takes forever for the player to load.
A blog has been set up to help victims and is also providing updates, although it also is loading very slowly.
IBN live is providing a live stream, but disappointingly, it’s “citizen journalist” section has absolutely nothing. I also recommend this Twitter stream.
Britain’s Sky News also has some streaming video.
update 3:29 – IBN is streaming live via CNN.com
3:34 p.m. – Here’s a Google map showing the attacks
3:35 p.m. — Again, Twitter has some of the best coverage with people in Mumbai relaying information.
3:38 p.m. Mumbai Metblogs has additional coverage. Not great. But it’s something. (h/t: Steve Mullis)
3:41 p.m. – CTV in Canada is also now simulcasting the IBN feed online. 78 now said to be dead.
4:07 p.m. – This is one of the more compelling images from the Vina photostream on Flickr (linked earlier)
Keep in mind it’s early in the morning in India, and dozens of people are forming barricades.
4:12 p.m. – From the archives: A Christian Science Monitor account of bombings in Mumbai in 1993, outside the Taj hotel, which is now on fire.
4:32 p.m. – State Department number for Americans wanting to check on status of other Americans in Mumbai: 1-888-407-4747
4:38 p.m. – I’m checking on the status of Northwest Airlines crews in Mumbai. A News Cutter tells me they stay at the Trident Hotel, which reportedly was one of the hotels where hostages were taken. A Northwest spokesperson says they’re “working on a statement.” But there is no indication that any Northwest employees are affected.
4:47 p.m. – According to Northwest Delta spokeswoman Kristi Baur, “Thank you for your email. We have been in contact with our crew members and we are working to get them home safely.
Here is our statement regarding Mumbai. “Our Safety and Security departments worked quickly and all Delta and Northwest crews have been contacted, and we’re trying to get them home safely. Customers traveling to Mumbai may rebook or cancel their flights without incurring fees. Delta considers the safety and security of its passengers and crew its number one priority.”
4:50 p.m. – The number for Canadians to check on Canadians. Department of Foreign Affairs at 1-613-996-8885 from inside Canada or 1-800-387-3124 outside.
4:53 p.m. – The South Asia Journalists Association is hosting a Webcast on today’s events from 9-10:30 CT this evening. Guests include Benjamin Piven, former Fulbright Scholar in Mumbai; Suketu Mehta, author, “Maximum City: Bombay Lost & Found” and others. To listen in, go here.
5:09 p.m. – A blogger’s first-person account of going out to a friend’s gallery opening in Mumbai around the time of the attacks. She wasn’t involved.
A petrol pump was blown up in Colaba, a couple of minutes walk from where we are. And, just a minor statistic, no doubt, amid the horror of today: a diner was shot while coming out of Indigo Deli, where we were standing minutes earlier.
5:13 p.m. – From the BBC, some images from Mumbai. Strong image warning.
5:37 p.m. – Posted today on YouTube, a tourist’s video of the Taj in better times.
5:40 p.m. – Signing off
